Method and apparatus for the production of tetrahedron-shaped packages



Jan. 8, 1963 H. s. v. JARuND 3,071,907

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF TETRAHEDRON-SHAPED PACKAGESFiled July 5. 1960 10 SheetsSheet 1 IN VENTOR Harry Sigurd ValdmwrJarund,

Jan. 8, 1963 H. s. v. JARUND 3,071,907

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF TETRAHEDRON-SHAPED PACKAGES1O SheetsSheet 2 Filed July 5. 1960 155 150 Fig 2 INVENTDR "32 HarrySigurd. VmLclemwr 7 i L; 3 Jamuin L 130 I ia Jan. 8, 1963 H. s. v.JARuND 3,07 METHOD AND APPARATUS FORv ,THE PRODUCTION OFTETRAHEDRON-SHAPED PACKAGES Filed July 5. 1960 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 15s 50Fig.3 151 ii N VENTO R 'lgoirrz 51 0 0.:

Jan. 8, 1963 H. s. v. JARUND 3,071,907

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION 0F TETRAHEDRON-SHAPED PACKAGESFiled July 5, 1960' 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig.4

//V VE/VTOR -HCIIPF3'SI9UFCL Valdemar Jcu-und PM, 0 19 Pm a Jan. 8, 1963H. s. v. JARUND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OFTETRAHEDRON-SHAPED PACKAGES l0 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 5. 1960 Fig.5

JWPWAW HM BJ Jan. 8, 1963 H. s. v. JARUND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THEPRODUCTION OF TETRAHEDRON-SHAPED PACKAGES 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July5, 1960 Fig.6

IN VENTOR Harry Sigurd. ValJQmcur JCLr-Und, B

Jan. 8, 1963 H. s. v. JARUND 3,071,907

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF TETRAHEDRON-SHAPED PACKAGESFiled July 5. 1960 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 I INVENTO R Harr Sigurd ValdemarJCLfuncL JJJ ZHW 1 Ah Jan. 8, 1963 H. s. v. JARUND 3,071,907

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF TETRAHEDRON-SHAPED PACKAGESFiled July 5. 1960 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 g i of F |g-9 F M J L: 61.

-rl l I INVENTOR Harry SGUFCL Valdemar Jcirund B v Jan. 8, 1963 H. s. v.JARuND 3,071,907

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF TETRAHEDRON-SHAPED PACKAGESFiled July 5. 1960 10 Sheets$heet 9 Fig.10

\ frb INVENTDR Harry urcL V ldemar JbLr-un d Jan. 8, 1963 H. s. v.JARUND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF TETRAHEDRON-SHAPEDPACKAGES Filed July 5. 1960 10 Sheets-Sheet 10 INVENTOVR Harry Sigurd,VCLLCLQIITMLFJCLIUHQ United States Patent METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THEPRODUC- TION F TETRAHEDRON-SHAPED PACKAGES Harry Sigurd ValdemarJiirund, Lund, Sweden, assignor to Hermorion Ltd., Toronto, Ontario,Canada, a c0mpany of Canada Filed July 5, 1960, Ser. No. 40,733 Claimspriority, application Sweden July 4, 1959 Claims. (Cl. 53--64) Thepresent invention relates to the art of producing tetrahedron-shapedpackages and more particularly to a method of producing filled andsealed tetrahedron-shaped packages from a packaging web material byforming the material intoa longitudinally seamed tube and compressingand sealing said tube along narrow transverse zones alternatingly in oneand the other of two angularly displaced planes for enclosing a fillingmaterial quantity introduced into the tube in individual packages to beseparated from the tube.

One method of producing tetrahedron-shaped packages of the type referredto contemplates that the packaging web material to be converted into alongitudinally seamed tube the longitudinal seam of which is parallel tothe tube axis. Since successively being a web from a plane into acylindrical configuration about an axis parallel to the longitudinalextension of the web will necessarily introduce heavy stresses in theweb material if reasonable forming lengths are chosen, the prior artmethod mentioned will put the properties of the web material to a severetest in order that the package forming proper, i.e.

the deformation of the tube into packages, must be carried out withoutcausing undesired wrinkles or folds in the package walls.

In View of these circumstances it has been further suggested that thetube be produced through helically winding the packaging web material ona winding. mandrel.

caused by the tube forming, and therefore the conversion of the tubeinto tetrahedron-shaped packages may be carried out Without anysubstantial risk of extraneous wrinkling or folding even when choosing apackaging material in itself liable to such wrinkling and folding ifused in the previously mentioned method.

According to the previous method the web is helically wound intotube'shape on a cylindrical mandrel while simultaneously being axiallydisplaced therealong. Thus, the tube performs both rotation about itsown axis and a displacement aolng the mandrel. The tube rotation isadjusted to the tube displacement in such a way that the axial feedinglength corresponding to the distance be- ;tween two successivecompressions of the tube will correspond to rotation of the tube throughthe angle enclosed between the two compression planes of a package, 1.e.

through 90 in case of a regular tetrahedron. Hence, when producingpackages in an intermittent operation, the compression of the tube maybe effected by one single 'pair. of co-operating clamping jaws or thelike taking part neither in the rotation of the tube nor in its axialdis- 1 placement.

However, the realization of an intermittent operation, herein synonymouswith intermittent rotation and displacement of the tube, has proved toinvolve diificulties. Since neither the web nor the tube producedtherefrom "may be broken through, if tight packages are to be produced,no positive driving thereof by e.g. toothed Wheels .or the likeperforating the packaging material may be resorted to but only frictiondriving with the inherent risk 3,071,907 Patented Jan. 8, 1963 ofvarying slip particularly at the starting moments of each operatingcycle.

The method according to the invention indicates a solution to thecombination of intermittent tube production and friction driving of thepackaging material, the tube being controlled in such a manner that allwinding turns of the helically wound tube in turn will pass along oneand the same stationary helical path, and at each operating stroke beingeffected in response to the sensing of .a predetermined packagingmaterial dimension corresponding to tube length.

The sensing of the packaging material dimension may be carried out as ameasurement of a certain distance along either the packaging Webmaterial or the tube already formed but might as Well take the form of asensing of successive indices appearing on the web or the tube.

In the following, the invention will be described in greater detailreference being made to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a machine for producing. filledtetrahedron-shaped packages by the method according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of said machine, while 'FIG. 3 is a sideview, partially in section, as Viewed from the right,

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section along line IV--IV in FIG. 2,

FIGS. 5 and 6 are side sectional views of the lower part of the machinealong lines V-V and VIVI, re-

spectively, in FIG. 4,

FIG. 7 is a plan view, partially in section, along line VIIVII in FIG.6,

FIG. 8 is an exploded detail view in perspective of three mechanicallycontrolled electrical make contacts incorporated in the machine,

FIG. 9 is a detail sectional view of a portion of the helical windingmechanism,

.FIG. 10 is a detail side view, partially in section, of the webunwinding part, and

H6. 11 is a detail side view, partially in section, of the, pumpmechanism.

The machine shown in the drawings is assembled in and on an encasedframe on the whole comprising substantially three parts, viz. a base 1,a box-shaped body 2 resting thereon and a standard 3 extending upwardlyfrom the body top and having its vertical front panel co-planar with thefront panel of the body 2. The frame base 1 and the frame body 2together accommodate the larger portion of the actuating mechanisms ofthe machine, the frame standard 3 mainly supporting machinepartsexternal to the frame.

The frame body also provides space for a supply roll 4, shown in FIGS. 4and 10, of a packaging webmaterial 5, e.g. comprising a paper web coatedon one side with a heat-sealable plastic material.

The web 5 is unwound from the supply roll 4 and passed through a slot 6in the top panel of the frame body 2 from where it is passed over asubstantially horizontal rear pulley roller 7 and an inclined frontpulley roller .8 to a circular-cylindrical tube-shaped winding mandrel 9attached to the front panel of the frame standard 3,011 which mandrel itis wound helically in an overlapped manner into a vertical tube 10having a tight helical longitudinal seam. As the winding operationproceeds the tube 10 is successively shifted downwardly and slid off themandrel to be introduced between a pair of co-operating clamping jaws 11and 12 by means of which the tube 10 is compressed along narrowtransverse zones alternatinglyinone and the other of two angularlydisplaced planes, thereby to be divided into tetrahedron-shaped packages13, which are finally separated from the tube 10 by a pair of shearcutters 14, 15 at the package length below the clamping jaw pair 11, 12.

By means of a filling pipe 16 axially inserted through the mandrel 9 thefilling material, eg liquid, is introduced into the tube 10 above saidclamping jaw pair 11, 12.

For natural reasons the helical winding will also effect the axialdownward shift of the tube 18. At least with respect to the tubeforming, the package forming and the package separating operations themachine has an intermittent mode of operation comprising the steps offirst Winding helically and feeding a new tube portion corresponding toa package length and subsequently, while the tube is stationary,dividing the tube into a new package by compressing the tube andseparating a previously formed package therefrom through cutting.

In the embodiment shown the helical winding of the web 5 into the tubeon the mandrel 9 is carried out by an endless belt 17, one run of whichis passed in one winding turn about the mandrel 9, the web 5 beinginserted between said belt run turn and the mandrel 9. By the frontpulley roller 3 and a particular web guiding means 18, the web 5 isguided in such a way that it will engage the cylindrical surface of themandrel 9 under an angle of about 24 to the axis thereof when producingsubstantially regularly tetrahedron-shaped packages. To this end thefront pulley roller 8 is inclined the same angle to the horizontal planeand otherwise positioned in such a way in relation to the mandrel 9 thatone longitudinal edge of the web 5 will engage and be guided by the endflange 19 of the upper end of the front pulley roller 8. The web guidingmeans 13 is situated below the front pulley roller 8 and in the vicinityof the mandrel 9. It co-operates with the other longitudinal edge of theweb 5 and comprises a member 20 engaging the web edge and mechanicallysensing the momentary position thereof, anda pair of guide rollers 21positioned after said first-mentioned member 20 and being freelyrotatable about an individual one of two shafts parallel to each otherand to the guiding zone of the web 5 and being contained in a planeperpendicular thereto co-operatingly to engage opposite faces of the web5.

The guiding provided by the front pulley roller 8 and the web edgeguiding means 18 will cause every winding turn of the tube 16 to passthrough exactly the same helical path as the next-preceding turn. Thiswill allow the belt 17 to enclose a slightly larger angle, e.g. about25.5", when producing substantially regular tetrahedron-shaped packages,with the axis of the mandrel 9, than the web 5, and hence to have aslightly less pitch than the winding turns of the finished tube 10,which is favourable from a winding point of view. The reason is that thewinding turns of the finished tube 1d tend to increase their diametersuccessively in spite of the mandrel 9, if the belt 17 have the samepitch as the winding turns of the tube 10.

Through the positive guiding of the web 5 and the constant tube diameterensured through the pitch of the belt 17 the overlapping winding turnedges of the tube 10 may be sealed to each other by a seaming element 22stationary longitudinally of the mandrel 9 but movable toward and fromthe same, said element 22 being arranged by a helical surfacecorresponding to the overlapping zone of the winding turn edges from theoutside to apply pressure and transfer heat to an overlapping zonelength slightly exceeding the one corresponding to one package length.With respect to the seaming element 22 the mandrel 9 serves as acounter-pressure means therefor, the pressure exerted between themandrel 9 and the seaming element 22 being correlated to the heattransferred from the element 22 so that in the present case the windingturn edges are heat-sealed to each other the plastic coating of the webserving as an adhesive. Thus, the tube 10 fed downwardly step-by-stepoff the mandrel 9 through the helical Winding operation has a continuous4 helical longitudinal seam ensuring tightness of the tube 10.

When moving downwards, the tube 10 is introduced between the clampingjaws 11 and 12 horizontally movable towards and from a plane through theaxis of the tube 10 and parallel to the front face of the machine. In aconventional manner the clamping jaws 11 and 12 are arranged by theirco-operating pressure surfaces between themselves to fiat-press the tube10 along a narrow transverse zone and to transfer heat thereto therebyto effect heat-sealing of the plastic coating of the tube inside.

Since the flat-pressing of the tube 10 between the clamping jaws 11 and12 will reduce its actual length between the lower end of thecircular-cylindrical surface of the mandrel 9 and the clamping jaws 11and 12 the latter are arranged, when performing their sealing movement,to be raised towards the mandrel 9 for compensating the tube lengthreduction. Through such compensation the stresses otherwise occurring inthe packaging material are avoided, said stresses obstructing or evenpreventing proper package forming.

Between two successive transverse sealing operations the tube 1i! isrotated through an angle corresponding to the desired spacing of twoconsecutive transverse sealing zones, i.e. through in the present case,and therefore the transverse sealing operations will be effected inangularly displaced planes. Rotating the tube 10 through 90 between twosuccessive transverse sealing operations will, of course, position thetransverse seals alternatingly in one or the other of two perpendicularplanes, while tube rotation through other angles will cause thetransverse seals to be contained in other planes having other angularrelationships.

At a distance corresponding to the desired package length below theclamping jaws 11 and 12 in their raised or lifted position there is thesheer cutter pair 14, 15 which is arranged in the closed position of theclamping jaws 11 and 12 and by a cut in the next-preceding transversesealing zone, to separate a sealed package 13 from the tube 10. To thisend the shear cutters 14 and 15 are horizontal and arranged by swingingtowards each other to cut along a line in a plane through the axis ofthe tube 10 and parallel to the closing direction of the clamping jaws11 and 12. At least greater deviations from rightangled relationship ofthe planes of the successive transverse seals the cutting line should,of course, be movable correspondingly.

Through the filling pipe 16 the filling material is supplied to the tube10 sealed closed at its lower end. The supply may be either continuousor intermittent. In the first case each package dividing transversesealing operation effected by the clamping jaws should be carried outbelow the filling material level in the tube 10, while in the lattercase the transverse seals are produced above each fill or charge.

To facilitate intermittent filling the column of filling material in thefilling pipe 16 and in the supply line connecting thereto should beunbroken even during the interval between two successive fillingoperations. To this end the discharge opening of the filling pipe 16 ofthe intermittently filling embodiment of the machine according to theinvention is provided with a means 23 serving as a non-return valve. Inits simplest form said means comprises a flaring mouth portion of thefilling pipe in the discharge opening of which there is mounted astrainer disc. The strainer disc is of a mesh matched to the fillingmaterial so that, when the feeding pressure in the supply line and thefilling pipe 16 ceases, the filling material column above the strainerdisc will be kept suspended in the filling pipe 16 without even escapingdrop-by-drop through the strainer disc.

Since the clamping jaws 11 and 12 are situated at a distancesubstantially exceeding the actual package length below the lower end ofthe circular-cylindrical winding mandrel 9, the deformation of the tubeproduced by closing the clamping jaws 11 and -12 will occur without anysubstantial tendenciestowards the creation of'undesired cracking foldsor other folds in the tube wall asconcerns that'tube portion situatedbetween the mandrel 9 and the clamping jaws 11 and 12. On theother hand,

and 12 into the final package shape. The reason is that -the transversesealing, through which the package 13-is closed, is efiected in a planeangularly displaced to that of the next-preceding transverse seal, andtherefore the last mentioned tube portion will have its ovalcross-section rotated through an angle corresponding to the anglebetween the sealing planes, i.e. 90 in the present case, such rotationgiving rise to stresses in the tube portion wall.

To prevent injurious cracking folds from occurring along the packagebody proper e.g. the front clamping jaw 12 may carry two upright foldinghorns 24 and 25 symmetrically positioned on opposite sides of a planethrough the tube axis and perpendicular to the front face of themachine, said folding members being arranged during the closing movementof the clamping jaw 12to buckle the tube inwardly from each side alongan individual one of two horizontal lines parallelto said plane andsubstantially at the package length above the clamping jaws 11 and 12thereby to effect two linear relatively shallow folds 26 and 27 in thetube 10. In this manner the inevitable cracking folds in the packagewall material caused when converting from tube into tetrahedron-shapeare locata-ble to the transverse sealing A further advantage gained bythe folding horns 24 and is that the tube 10 is caused to pass smoothlyfrom circular-cylindrical into flattened oval shape towards the clampingjaws 11 and 1'2 instead of tending to maintain its circular-cylindricalshape as far as possible below the mandrel 9 in which case there willresult sharp transition folds at the ends of the clamping jaws 11 and12. The transition folds cause, in the transverse seal produced by theclamping jaws 11 and 12 and not yet completely stabilized, stresses toogreat in the direction corresponding to separating the tube walls.

During its combined downward shift the tube 10 will be introducedbetween both the previously mentioned shear cutters 14 and 15 andsupporting members 28 and 29 actuated thereby. In their clamped positionsaid supporting members 28 and 29 by reason of individual inclinedsupporting surfaces 30 and 31 thereon, respectively, press againstindividual opposite tetrahedron sides being formed for-opposing anyoutward bulging of the tetrahedron sides due to the weight of thefilling material. Thus, the supporting members 28 and 29 in general areof great importance to the tetrahedron forming and, in

the case where there is a continuous supply of filling material into thetube 10, they can also take overthe metering function since theydetermine the package volume by determining the positions of thetetrahedron side faces.

When severed from the tube 10 the finished package 13 drops onto acurved plate 32 serving as a chute leading to takeoff station where thepackage, either manually or automatically, is packed for distribution.

Next the machine embodiment shown in the drawings will be described morethoroughly both as to the constructive details thereof and theirco-operation.

As apparent particularly from FIGS. 4 and 10, the frame. body 2 isprovided with a separate casing 34 closable by a door 33 for the supplyroll 4, In such casing 34 the roll 4 is carried on a horizontal spoolshaft 35 journalled in a generally U-shaped carrier 36 the two legs37and 33 of which for swinging in a vertical plane "have their free endshinged to the casing floor in the "vicinity of the lower edge of thedoor opening 39, thereby spool shaft 45 into the bearing and forretaining the same therein until the snap latch 43 is moved out oflocking position in opposition to spring action.

Through this design and arrangement of the carrier 36 and its spoolshaft bearings 40 and 41 the carrier 36, when effecting a roll change,may be swung downwardly in over a roll 4 provided with a spoolyshaft 35and in advance placed in the proper position in front of the dooropening 39, thereby to cause the spool shaft 35 automaticallyto snapinto the bearings 40 and 41, so that the carrier 36 may be subsequentlyswung back into its operative position inside the casing 34.

For joining the trailing end of a web 5 unwinding from a supply roll 4to the leading end of a new supply roll 4 the upper side of the carrier36 in outswung position carries a plate 44 serving as a joining worktable and being curved along a cylindrical surface coaxial with thesupply roll 4 in the mounted position thereof and being of a radiusslightly exceeding the largest supply roll radius.

The packaging web material 5 of the roll 4 is'passed below a horizontalpulley roller 45 situated above the supply roller 4 and beyond the spoolshaft 35 in operative position as viewed from the door opening 39, saidpulley roller being rotatably mounted between the free ends of twodepending rocking levers 46.and 47 the opposite ends of which arerigidly secured to a horizontal shaft 48 journalled for rotation in theframe body .2. From said pulley roller 45 the web 5 is passed under ahorizontal pulley roller 49 rotatably supported in the frame body 2substantially vertically above the spool shaft 35 in operative positonand just below the slot 6 in the top panel of the frame body 2. Thepulley rollers 45 and 49 are both parallel to the spool shaft 35.

From the pulley roller 49 the web 5 is passed through the just-mentionedslot 6 up to and over the rear pulley roller 7 and further on over theinclined front pulley roller 8. The pulley rollers 7 and 8 are rotatablysupported in one and the same bracket 50 adjustably secured to aninclined guideway 51 on one side of the standard 3. From the frontpulley roller 8 the web 5 is inserted between the helical winding turnof the belt 17 and the mandrel 9.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings it has been assumed that thelongitudinal seam of the tube 10 is of the so-called over-turned or backseam type, i.e. that the overlapping web margins are sealed to eachother web insideto web inside (plastic face to plastic face in thepresent case). For this purpose, therefore, the requirement is that theweb 5 before being helically wound is folded over upon'itself at adistance fromthe margin in question substantially corresponding to theoverlapping width ofthe longitudinal sea-m to be produced. For thispurpose, the web 5 is first provided with a score line defining themargin in question to" be over-turned, and subsequently said margin,while the web 5 except for said margin is substantially perpendicular toa plane and the score line is maintained in such plane, is folded aboutthe score line by a component of an external force, said component beingparallel to said plane. For maintaining the score line in said plane theweb's is laterally guided thereto while simultaneously being providedwith the score line, and furthemore the web 5, for completing the marginfolding initiated by' sa'id external force, is successively over-turnedwith the prefolded margin facing upwardly so that the web portionexcluding the web margin in question will assume a singlecurved shape.

In the present case the folding means comprises a combined web guidingand scoring means 52 positioned in front of the front pulley roller 8and pivoted to the bracket 50, said member 52 being of substantially thesame construction as the perviously described web guiding means 18, thetwo rollers engaging opposite faces of the web being provided with anannular scoring ridge and a corresponding angular groove, respectively,as well as the pulley roller 8 and the end flange 19 thereof, saidlatter parts initiating and completing the overturning of the web marginabout the score line produced by the web guiding means 52 and maintainedsubstantially in that plane perpendicular to the axis of the pulleyroller 8 and passing through the intersection between the inner face ofthe end flange 19 and the cylindrical surface of the pulley roller 8.

The belt 17 is passed over two pulleys 53 and 54, the upper pulley 53being mounted for rotation in a stirrup 55 one end of which is pivotedto the bracket 50. By a tension spring 56, the opposite free end of thestirrup 55 is connected to the free end of a spindle 57 secured to thebracket 59 above the stirrup 55, and therefore the downward swinging ofthe pulley stirrup 55 must be carried out in opposition to the action ofthe spring 56.

As shown in FIG. 9, the other, lower pulley 54 is mounted on a shaft 58which in turn is rotatably supported in a carriage 61 adjustably movablealong two parallel circular-cylindrical guiding tubes 59 and 60 aresecured to a bracket 62 on one side panel of the frame body 2 theirupper ends being secured to a bracket 63 on the corresponding side panelof the frame standard 3.

To the lower pulley 54 there is rigidly connected one half of anelectromagnetic clutch 64 the other half of which is fixed to the shaft58. Supply of current to the magnetic coil of the clutch 64 engages thetwo clutch halves, and therefore the pulley 54 which is otherwise freelyrotatable on the shaft 58 will be rigidly connected thereto.

A sprocket 65 is rigidly secured to the shaft 58. In the same plane asand above and below, respectively, Said sprocket 65 two pulley sprockets66 and 67 are mounted for free rotation in the carriage 61. Above saidpulley sprockets 66 and 67 as well as below the sprocket 65 on the shaft58 there is passed a chain length 68 the upper portion of which ispassed over a pulley sprocket 69 mounted for free rotation in the upperguid-' ing tube bracket 63 and into one guiding tube 59. Inside saidguiding tube 59 the corresponding chain end is connected to the upperend of a tension spring 70 enclosed in the guiding tube 59 and at itslower end secured to the lower portion thereof.

From the lower pulley sprocket 67 on the carriage 61 and via a pulleysprocket 71 mounted for free rotation on the lower guiding tube bracket62 the chain 68 is introduced into the frame body 2 where it is passedfirst over a pulley sprocket 72 mounted for free rotation on a fixedvertical shaft and then over a pulley sprocket 73 mounted for freerotation on a fixed horizontal shaft and is finally passed downwardlyinto the frame base 1 where the corresponding chain length end isconnected to the free end of a substantially horizontal lever 74 pivotedto a horizontal shaft 75 mounted in the base, as apparent from FIGS. 3,4 and 5. On its top face and at a point intermediate its two ends thelever 74* carries a cam follower roller 76 co-operating with a cam disc78 secured to the main drive shaft 77 of the machine. The shaft 77 isconstantly driven from an electric motor 79 through a speed variator 80the output shaft of which carries a drive sprocket 81 which, by anendless chain 82, is connected to a sprocket 83 secured to the shaft 77.

As particularly shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 10, a link rod 84 connects thefree end of the lever 74 also to the free end of a lever 85 secured tothe previously mentioned shaft 48 so that swinging the arm 77 downwardlywill swing the levers 46 and 47 and hence the pulley roller inside thecasing 34 towards the door opening 39 into the position shown by dashlines in FIG. 10. The tension spring 70 inside the guiding tube 59 willmaintain the chain 63 stretched and the cam follower roller 76 inengagement with the cam disc 78.

Each revolution of the cam disc 7 8 will swing the lever 74 downwardlyfrom an upper to a lower end position and back again. The upward returnswinging, which takes place at a time when the tube 10 is stationary andthrough the action of the returning force of the spring 70, swings thepulley roller 45 from its position closer to the casing door opening 39to its position remote therefrom and unwinds from the supply roll 4 aweb loop 86 corresponding to one winding operation of the belt 17.During the return movement of the chain 68 caused by the action of thespring 70 the two halves of the magnetic clutch 64 are disengaged.

Just below the front pulley roller 8 the spindle 57 carries a web lengthmeasuring means 87 having a measuring wheel 88 in non-slippingengagement with the web 5 on the pulley roller 8. During the helicalwinding operation the web 5 causes the measuring wheel 88 to rotate incorrespondence to the web feed. The measuring wheel 88 has such anoperative circumference and is operatively connected in such a way to abreak contact inside the means 87 and in circuit with the magnetic coilof the magnetic clutch 64 that, upon advancing a web lengthcorresponding to the desired package length, said break contact willopen the holding circuit of the magnetic clutch 64 hence disengagingsame and stopping the winding operation. The feed of the chain 68 ispreferably adjusted in such a manner that the chain 68 will continue therotation of the shaft 58 even slightly after disengaging the belt pulley54 from the shaft 58.

Connected in series and parallel, respectively, with the break contactof the web length measuring means 87 are a microswitch 89 and amicroswitch 90 both operated from each an individual one of two camdiscs 91 and 92, respectively, on the machine main shaft 77. The camdiscs 91 and 92 are shaped in such a way as to maintain the microswitch89 open during the entire return stroke of the chain 68 effected by thespring 70, while closing the microswitch 96 for a short period of timefor initiating a new helical winding operation. As soon as such windingoperation has been initiated by the microswitch 90 the break contactoperated by the measuring wheel 88 will close and take over the controlof the current supply to the magnetic clutch 64.

Of course, the belt 17 may be driven by other drive mechanisms than thepull chain mechanism shown in the drawings and recently described, whichpull chain mechanism should only be considered as an embodiment notlimiting the scope of the invention. On the other hand, with regard tothe helical winding, a feature of the present invention is that thehelical winding operation is carried out in response to measuring adistance along either the web 5 or the tube 10 already formed therefromor the spacing between two successive indices or register markspreapplicd onto the Web 5 or the tube 10.

In case the helical winding is not effected by a helical winding beltbut instead by the above mentioned expanding shifta'ble mandrel thepresently described belt drive mechanism may be modified according tothose requirements put by an expanding rotatable and shifta'ble windingmandrel.

As particularly apparent from FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 the clamping jaws 11 and12 are carried in a rectangular, horizontal frame 93 the longitudinaldimension of which is perpendicular to the front panel of the machineframe and one short-side of which together with the adjacent portions ofthe two long-sides projects out of the machine frame body 2. The frontjaw 12 is secured to the inside of the outer frame short-side 94, theinner clamping jaw 11 being slidable along the frame long-sides 95 and96. To this end the clamping jaw 11, along its corresponding sides, isprovided with two co-axially mounted rollers 97 and 98 being arranged toroll along each an individual one of two rolling grooves 99 and 100,respectively, in the frame long-sides 95 and 96.

The remaining frame short-side 101 and the inner clamping jaw 11 carry,on their facing sides, horizontal pivots 102 and 103, respectively,perpendicular to the frame long-sides 95 and 96. On the ceiling of themachine frame body 2 there are provided two horizontal pivots 104 and105 parallel to the machine front panel and having a spacingsubstantially corresponding to that of the pivots 102 and 103 in thecompletely separated position of the clamping jaws 11 and 12. The pivots104 and 105 are on the same level in the machine, said levelsubstantially corresponding to the lower end of the mandrel 9.

On the front stationary pivot 105 is piv-otable one end of 2. dependingsupporting arm 106, the other end of which is hinged to the pivot 103 onthe inner clamping jaw 11. The pivots 105 and 102 are similarlyconnected to each other by a second supporting arm 107 of the samelength as the supporting arm 106.

Between the fixed pivots 104 and 105 and at a point closer to the frontpivot 105 there is a fixed spindle 108 parallel tothe two fixed pivots104 and 105 and situated on the same level. On said fixed spindle 108two depending supporting arms 109 and 110 of equal lengths are swingableby one end thereof. At their respective opposite ends said supportingarms 109 and 110 hinged to each are an individual frame long-side 95 and96, respectively, through each an individual one of two coaxial pivots111 and 112.

In a guiding means comprising two vertical U-shaped plates a horizontalpivot 115 is shiftable from an upper position corresponding tocompletely separated clamping jaws 11 and 12, in which position it issituated above the clamping jaw frame 93, and to a lower positioncorresponding to closed clamping jaws and substantially on the samelevel as the clamping jaw frame 93. The vertical guiding means ispositioned centrally between the vertical planes through the two fixedpivots 104 and 105. By two links 116 and 117 the movable pivot 115 isconnected to the pivot 102 on the jaw frame short-side 101 and the pivot103 of the inner clamping jaw 11, respectively. The movable pivot 115 isconnected to the lower end of a tension spring 118 the upper end ofwhich is fixed to the ceiling of the machine frame body 2. Furthermore,it is rotatably connected to the upper end of a depending pull rod 119the opposite end of which is hinged to a lever 120 pivoted to the shaft75 in the machine frame base 1, said lever 120 on its upwardly facingside carrying a cam follower roller 121 co-operating with a cam disc 122on the machine main shaft 77.

When, in correspondence with the shape of the rotating cam disc 122, thelever 120 swings downwards from its uppermost position, the pull rod 119will shift the movable pivot 115 vertically downwards in the guidingplates 113 and 114 in opposition to the action of the tension spring118. This will make the toggle links 116 and 117 to separate the innerjaw frame short-side 101 from the inner clamping jaw 11 until the shaft115 reaches its lowermost position in which it is situated insubstantially the same plane as the pivots 102 and 103 of the jaw frameshort-side 101 and the inner clamping jaw 11,. respectively. Therelative movement of the jaw frame shortside 1 and the clamping jaw 11will result in an oppositely directed relative movement between theouter jaw frame short-side 94 and the inner clamping jaw 11,

Le. between the two clamping jaws 11 and 12. Owing to the constructionof the suspension and operating mechanism the reciprocating movementof'the clamping jaws 11 and 12 is symmetrical to a vertical planethrough the axis of the tube 10. Similarly, the clamping jaw frame 93 isconstantly maintained substantially horizontal. On the other hand, as itis suspended from the supporting arms 107 and 109, the closing of theclamping jaws will slightly raise the clamping jaw frame from itsposition corresponding to completely separated clamping jaws 11 and 12.Said lifting will correspond substantially to the length reduction ofthe tube material below the lower end of the mandrel 9 caused by theflat-pressing of the tube 10 by the clamping jaws 11 and 12 and willeliminate such axial tension stresses in the tube 10' that wouldotherwise cause an undesired tendency towards displacing the tube 10 outof its axial position along the mandrel 9.

Between the inner jaw frame short-side 101 and the inner clamping jaw 11in the normal inoperative position thereof there is provided a cam 123secured to the inside of one jaw frame long-side 95. Said cam isarranged to co-operate with a cam follower roller 124 mounted forrotation on one end of a crank arm 125, the other end of which beingsecured to a vertical shaft 127 journalled in the guide way bracket '63as well as in a bearing lug 126 on the front panel of the machine. Tosaid shaft 127 is adjustably secured a holder 128 carrying the seamingelement 22. As mentioned above, the seaming element 22 has a helicalworking surface the shape and extension of which corresponds to thehelical longitudinal seam of slightly more than a package length of thetube 10. The seaming element 22 is equipped with means for generatingsealing heat in the longitudinal seam zone when pressing the element 22into' engagement therewith.

The closing movement of the clamping jaws 11 and 12 will move the cam123 relatively to the follower roller 124. This relative movement willfinally carry the cam 123 inwardly towards the jaw frame long-side inturn resulting in an inward swinging of the seaming element 22 towardsthe mandrel 9 into working position. When separating the clamping jaws11 and.12 the seaming element 22 will again swing away from the. mandrel9 into its normal position. Preferably, the cam follower roller 124 ismaintained in constant engagement with the cam 123 by a return springnot shown.

Particularly when helically winding tubes having a socalled back seamsubstantially increasing the outer radius of the tube 10 in the seamregion, it may be feasible, for facilitating the positive guiding of thetube 10 along the mandrel, to provide the operating surface of themandrel 9 with a helical groove corresponding ot the longitudinal seamand being of a depth corresponding to the tube wall thickness increasecaused by the longitudinal seam.

As described above, the shear cutters 14 and 15 as well as thesupporting members'28 and 29' operated thereby are at a level below theone corresponding to the clamping jaws 11 and 12 on the machine frontpanel. The shear cutters 14 and 15 have the form of two substantiallycongruent shear shanks mounted for free rotation on a vertical spindle129 at a point intermediate their respective ends, said spindle 129being inserted through a supporting bracket for the chute plate 32 andhaving its lower end resting on one of a plurality of studs 131 ofunequal heights on a turret 132. The spindle 129 is lookable to thesupporting bracket 130 by an eccentric 133. The shown arrangement of arevolving turret 132 and stop studs 131 mounted thereon for the spindle12-9 purports to illustrate an embodiment of a device for setting theworking level of the shear cutters 14 and 15, thereby to make possiblesevering a finished package 13 at a distance corresponding to thepackage length below the clamping jaws 11 and 12 in their raised workingposition.

In a horizontal plane above the shearcutters 14 and.

15 said supporting members 28 and 29 are each roe!- able about anindividual pivot 134 and 135, respectively, secured to the machine framebody 2. The pivots 134 and 135 are situated slightly behind andsymmetrically to the spindle 129 and carry one end of the respectivesupporting members 28 and 29. At their opposite ends the supportingmembers 28 and 29 are each provided with an adjustable set screw 136 and137, respectively, being arranged, when swinging the supporting members28 and 29 towards each other, to engage a stop 138 of a shield 139enclosing the shear cutters 14 and 15 as well as the supporting members28 and 29.

About centrally between their two ends the supporting members 28 and 29are each provided with an individual one of two oppositely directedshoulders 140 and 141 the free ends of which are connected to the outerends of the respective adjacent shear cutters 14 and 15, respectively,through a tension spring 142 and 143, respectively.

Two pull rods 144 and 145 each link an individual one of the inner endsof the shear cutter shanks 14 and 15, respectively, to a common pointalong a depending lever 146. The upper end of the lever 146 is rotatableabout the pivot 102 of the inner jaw frame short-side 101 and theopposite lever end carries a cam follower roller 147 co-operating with apositively guiding groove 148 in a cam disc 149 on the machine mainshaft 77.

When closing the clamping jaws 11 and 12'the rear jaw frame short-side101 and hence the pivot 102 thereof are shifted rearwards, i.e. in thedirection from the machine front panel. This shift will move the upperend of the lever 146 in the same direction resulting in a pulling forcein the pull rods 144 and 145 causing the cutting portions of the shearcutters 14 and 15 to swing towards each other. The position of thefulcrum of the pull rods 144 and 145 along the lever 146 is chosen so asto make the rearward swinging of the lever 146 about the spindle of thecam follower roller 147 caused by closing the clamping jaws 11 and 12close the shear cutters 14 and 15 into a position in which yet nocutting occurs. On the other hand, the supporting members 28 and 29 areswung COIllpletely into their respective working positions in whichtheir set screws 136 and 137 rest on the stop 138.

For cutting through a transverse sealing zone of the tube the shearcutters 14 and 15, starting from their intermediate position, are closedcompletely in response to the lever 146 being swung further rearwardlyby the guiding groove 148, said further rearward swinging this timebeing about the pivot 102 of the rear jaw frame short-side 101. Closingthe shear cutters 14 and from their intermediate to their cuttingposition will tension the springs 142 and 143 without further closingthe supporting members 28 and 29.

The shear cutters 14 and 15 as well as the supporting members 28 and 29are returned to their respective swungaway normal positions through theaction of the return spring 118 of the clamping jaw mechanism, theguiding groove 148 of the cam disc 149, and the springs 142 and 143.

If the transverse seals produced by the clamping jaws 11 and 12 are nothorizontal, i.e. perpendicular to the tube axis, the shear cutters 14and 15 should, of course, out along a correspondingly inclined oroblique cutting line. In the machine shown in the drawings, thesuccessive transverse seals are assumed to be contained in alterna inglyone and the other of two substantially perpendicular planes, andtherefore the shear cutters 14 and 15 are to out along a line containedin a plane perpendicular to the sealing plane of the clamping jaws 11and 12. However, should the angle between two successive transverseseals differ substantially from 90 the shear cutters 14 and 15 should bearranged to cut in planes correspondingly angularly displaced, which mayimply that the entire cutting device including the supporting members 28and 29 should 'be angularly displaced into the respective cutting planesbetween two successive cutting operations.

In the vicinity of the top of the machine frame standard 3 the fillingpipe 16, by a flange coupling 150 in a plane parallel to the machinefront panel, is connected to a supply line 151 the lower end of which isconnected to the outlet of a pump 152. The turnable flange coupling 150is such as to permit the filling pipe 16 to be swung-away laterally fromthe working position thereof without necessitating disconnection of thefilling pipe 16 from the supply line 151. The lateral swinging-away ofthe filling pipe 16 is necessary when replacing or otherwise removingthe mandrel 9. The mandrel 9 is provided with a socket 153 insertable ina vertical guideway 154 on the front panel of the machine frame standard3.

In the vicinity of the flange coupling 150 either the supply line 151 orthe filling pipe 16 (the filling pipe 16 in the present case) isprovided with a valve means 155 which, due to its construction and toits location in the highest point of the supply system .151, 16 permitsany gas to escape out of said system without necessitating simultaneousremoval of filling material therefrom.

The pump device 152, which in the machine shown is of the dosing typeoperating intermittently and for each stroke supplying to the tube 10 afilling material charge for a package 13, comprises, on one hand, a pumpproper consisting of a piston 156 and a vertical cylinder 157, on theother hand, a slide valve consisting of a slide 158 and a vertical valvechamber 159.

The valve chamber 159 is tubular and provided with three ports 160, 161and 162 spaced along its length, one port 161 being positioned centrallybetween the two other ports and connected to the interior of the pumpcylinder 157 by means of a pipe line 163. The upper port connects to thesupply line 151, the lower port 162 connccting to a filling materialsupply not shown by means of a pipe line 164.

By annular sealing flanges 165, 166 and 167 the slide 158 is dividedinto two sections of such lengths that the upper valve section definedbetween the flanges 165 and 166 corresponds to the axial spacing of theupper edge of the port 160 and the lower edge of the port 161 and henceto the same length spacing of the upper edge of the middle port 161 andthe lower edge of the lower port 162, the lower valve section definedbetween the middle flange 166 and the lower flange 167 corresponding tothe axial spacing of the lower edge of the middle port 161 and the loweredge of the lower port 162.

In normal operation the slide 158 is shiftable between an upper deadcentre which is shown in FIG. 11 and in which the pump cylinder 157communicates with the supply line 151, and a lower dead centre in whichthe filling material supply communicates with the pump cylinder 157.

The pump piston 156 has a downwardly extending piston rod 168 the freelower end of which, by a link 169, is connected to the free end of asubstantially horizontal lever 170 the opposite end of which is securedto a spindle 1'71 parallel to the machine main shaft 77 and horizontallyjournalled in the machine frame base 1. A substantially verticaldouble-armed lever 172 is also secured to said spindle 171. At its upperfree end said double-armed lever 172 is provided with a cam followerroller 173 co-v operating with a cam disc 174 secured to the machinemain shaft 77, the lower free end of the lever 172 being urged by atension spring 175 mounted in the machine frame base to press the camfollower roller 173 against the cam disc 174.

A link 1'76 connects the lower end of the valve slide 158 to the freeend of a substantially horizontal lever 177 the opposite end of which issecured to a spindle 178 parallel to the machine main shaft 77 andjournalled in the machine frame base 1. One end of a lever 179 issecured to said shaft 178, its opposite end carrying a cam followerroller 180 co-operating with a positively guiding groove 181 in a camdisc 182 on the machine main shaft 77.

The entire pump mechanism is controlled in such manner that the valveslide 158, when the pump piston 156 is in its upper'dead centre, willmove downwardly from its upper working position to its lower workingposition.

This will connect the pump cylinder 157 to the filling material supply.Subsequently, the pump piston 156 will move downwards to its lower deadcentre to suck in a desired filling material quantity into the pumpcylinder 157. As the pump piston 156 reaches its lower dead centre thevalve slide 158 will reverse and move back into its upper workingposition connecting the pump cylinder 157 to the supply line 151. Duringthe last phase of the operating cycle of the pump mechanism the pumppiston 156 will move upwards to its upper deadcentre and deliver, to thesupply line 151, the filling material quantity suckedin into the pumpcylinder 157. Each such discharge will cause a corresponding quantity'of filling material to leave the fillingpipe 16 through the mouth valve23 thereof.

-Between successive discharge strokes an unbroken filling materialcolumn is maintained in the supply line 151 and the filling pipe 16thanks to venting valve 155 and the mouth valve 23 of the filling pipe16.

To prevent operation of the plunger pump 156, 157

e.g. during a machine starting interval, when the tube has not yetreached the level of the clamping jaws 11 and 12 but the machine mainshaft 77 is rotating, an electromagnetic blocking device is arranged todisengage the cam follower roller 173 and the cam disc 174.

Said blocking device comprises a catch lever 183 at one end hinged at apoint above the machine main shaft 77 i and having a point in-thevicinity of its other end connected to an armature 185 of anelectromagneticrelay 186 by a link 184. The dropping of the armature 185will swing the catch lever 183 downwards into engagement with a stopsurface 187 at the upper end of the double-armed lever 172, when saidend is in its position corre- .sponding' to the pump piston 156 being inthe upper dead centre position thereof, thereby to block the lever 172in such inactive position until the armature 185 will again 1 beattracted by electromagnetic coil of therelay. Thus, in normal operationthe relay 186 is maintained constantly operated.

if, instead, the machine is to operate with continuous filling in thesense above identified the pump mechanism I just described will bereplaced by a continuously operating pumping system maintaining asubstantially constant filling material level in the tube 10 above thelevel of the clamping jaws 11 and 12. The necessary modifications to beapplied to the corresponding parts of the machine in such case areobvious to anyone skilled in the art.

For a better understanding of the time relationship of the variousphases the machine operation cycle will be described in greater detailbelow. In such discussion it will be assumed that the preparatory stepshave been'completed and that, hence, the clamping jaws 11 and 12 haveperformed their transverse sealing movement and still are closed on thetube.

The next-following operating cycle is initiated by the ,pump 156, 157starting to deliver the desired charge into the tube 10. Before theentire filling material charge has been supplied to the tube 10 the jaws11 and 12 separate and move into their normal positions, and thereafterthe helical Winding of a package length of tube will start.

- completion-of the helical winding phase the return of the chain 68 andthe unwinding of'the web loop 36am effect ed. Immediately upon thedischarging stroke of the pump piston 156 there follows the suctionstroke thereof so that the pump cylinder 157 will be filled for thenextsucceeding discharging stroke.

The closing of the clamping jaws 1-1 and 12 will swing the seamingelement 22 towards the tube 1 0 on the mandrel 9 to produce a seam asdescribed above. Substantially simultaneously on one hand the supportingmembers 23 and 29- are swung inwardly towards the package 13 beingformed below the clamping jaws 11 and 12 and on the other hand the shearcutters 14 and 15 are moved into their intermediate positions.

At least one of the clamping jaws '11 and 12 is provided with means forsupplying sealing heat to the plastic coating of the transverse sealingzone defined by the clamping jaws 11 and 12. Such sealing heat may begenerated e.g. by electrical heater loops in the clamping jaw or jaws,said heater loops, when supplied with current, heating a portion of theclamping jaw mass. The heating means might as well comprise electricalresistance strips on the Working surfaces of the jaws, said strips beingsupplied with short current impulses when the clamping jaws 11 and 12apply the sealing pressure to the sealing zone. If the web 5 per se orthe inside face thereof comprises a polar plastic material, e.g.polyvinyl chloride, the clamping jaws 11 and 12 might as well serve ascondenser plates and be connected in circuit with a high frequencygenerator thereby capacitiv'ely to heat the plastic material of thetransverse sealing zone by high frequency current when closing theclamping jaws 1'1 and 12.

In connection with the sealing operation effected by the clamping jaws11 and 12 the shear cutters 14 and 15 are caused to perform theircutting movement. Preferably, said cutting is carried out as late aspossible to provide sufiicient time for the transverse seal in which tocut to cool so as not to break open when the package '13 drops onto thetakeoff plate 32.

When the clamping jaws 11 and 12 have returned to their separatedpositions and have swung-away the seaming element 22 from the tube 16 onthe mandrel 9 and the shear cutters 14 and 15 and the supporting members28 and 29 have returned to their respective normal positions, themachine operation cycle has been completed. In order that a shut down ofthe machine shall stop the various mechanisms thereof in their positionscorresponding to a completed machine cycle a microswitch 187 isconnected in parallel with the main switch of the operating circuit ofthe drive'motor 79. As obvious from FIG. 8, the microswitch 187cooperates with a cam disc 188 on the main shaft 77. The microswitch-187is open only when the cam' disc 188 and thus the machine main shaft 77assume a position corresponding to a completed machine cycle.

Although for sake of simplicity there has above been indicated that notonly the just mentioned microswitch 187 but also the microswitches 89and 99 are directly connected into the respective circuits, it isunderstood that they, if desired, may as well be connected via relays orthe like and hence be incorporated in the operating circuits of theserelays.

Preferably, the machine as described is adjustable for various packagesizes. To this end the clamping jaw, cutting and package formingmechanisms should be dimensioned 'to take the largest tube diameter andpackage size in question. When adjusting the machine from one packagesize to another two possible cases may be contemplated, viz. (1)unchanged tube diameter and (2) changed tube diameter.

In case of unchanged tube diameter the package size may be variedthrough increasing the package length anyhow if the requirement onperpendicular transverse seals of each package is not maintained. Firstof all this changewill require that the measuring wheel 88 and the beltpulley 54 are replaced and possibly that the shear cutters Hand 15 areset tothe desired cutting level-by the turret 132 and are angularlydisplaced. Furthermore, if, when varying the package size, the fillingmaterial quantity of the packages is to be changed, replacement of thepiston pump 156, 157 may be necessary.

In case of changed tube diameter the mandrel 9 and the seaming element22 are replaced possibly in addition to the previously mentionedalterations. Furthermore, this case will require adjustment of thelevels of the bracket 50 and the carriage 61, readjustment of the webedge guiding means 13 as well as adjustment of the folding members 24and 25 in correspondence to the new tube diameter.

Of course it is assumed that the seaming element 22 and/or the clampingjaws 11 and 12 are replaceable by corresponding means adapted for otherheating systems. Thus, if the'maehine in its standard version is adaptedfor seaming element 22 and clamping jaws 11 and 12 of the constant heattype it should be easily adjustable to impulse or high frequency heatingof the seaming element 22 and/ or the clamping jaws 11 and 12 throughreplacement of such parts and connection of any suitable heating system.

Particularly if the machine is to package food-stuffs as milk etc. it isnecessary for hygienic reasons that the filling system should easilylend itself for cleaning. For that purpose, at least when disconnectedfrom the link 156, the valve slide 1158 is settable into a flushingposition in which the. annular flange 165 thereof is situated slightlyabove the port 160 the flanges 166 and 167 being opposite the ports 161and 162, respectively. In such position the valve slide 158 permitsconcurrent flushing of the feed line 164-, the connecting line 163, thepump cylinder 157, the valve chamber 159, the supply line 1511 and thefilling pipe 16 by any suitable washing liquid.

As mentioned in the introduction the packaging material sensingcontrolling the package forming might, instead of as a measuring of adistance along the packaging web material corresponding to packagelength, be carried out as a measuring of the corresponding length of thealready finished tube. In such case a length measuring membercorresponding to the means 87 should be positioned in a point along themandrel 9 and be arranged to sense an axial tube length.

However, it is also possible to have index or registration markspre-applied to the packaging web material control the package forming insuch a manner that the spacing between two successive index orregistration marks is sensed photo-electrically. This will make possiblethe production of packages having so-called registered printing ordesign since the print or the design in itself may comprise or furnishthe indices necessary. The sensing of the indices in question may becarried out either on the web or the tube 10.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for producing filled and sealed tetrahedron-shaped packageswhich comprises a supply roll of heat-scalable packaging material in webform, means acting intermittently for pulling off from said supply rolla predetermined web length, a mandrel, means acting intermittently forforming said pulled off lengths of said web into a continuous tube bywinding the same helically upon said mandrel and for simultaneouslyadvancing the same longitudinally, said tube being rotated through anangle of substantially 90 for each intermittent helical windingoperation thereof, means cooperative with said web for guiding the samealong a helical path which is fixed relative to the axis of saidmandrel, a filling pipe having one end thereof inserted through saidmandrel for introducing filling material into said tube, a feed pump forfilling material connected to the other end of said filling pipe, lengthsensing means cooperative with said packaging material as it travelsthrough said apparatus, means responsive to said sensing fo 9ntrollingsaid operation of said intermit- .tently acting means by which saidpulled off web lengths are formed into a continuous tube, a pair ofclamping jaws. means actuating said clamping jaws to and from each otherwhen said tube is stationary between intermittent operations of saidtube forming means for deforming said tube wall inwardly and sealing thesame in planes extending transversely through the tube axis, means alsodisplacing said clamping jaws in a direction axially of said tube but ina direction opposite to its direction of movement simultaneously withdeformation of said tube thereby to compensate for a reduction in tubelength caused by deformation thereof, and severing means intermittentlyactuated when said tube is stationary for cutting off said filled andsealed tetrahedronshaped packages at the portions sealed by saidclamping aws.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 for producing filled and sealedtetrahedron-shaped packages wherein said mandrel is stationary and has acircular-cylindrical configuration and said intermittently acting tubeforming means for helically winding said pulled-off web lengthscomprises an intermittently driven endless belt looped heically aroundsaid. mandrel and which engages the surface of said web in a helicaldriving manner.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 for producing filled and sealedtetrahedron-shaped packages and which further includes means foradjusting said endless belt along the common tube and mandrel axiswithout disturbing the helical pitch of said belt.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 for producing filled and sealedtetrahedron-shaped packages and which further includes means acting uponone marginal edge portion of said web in advance of the helical windingthereof to fold over the same towards its outside so as to overlie theother marginal edge thereof and thereby join the inside faces of theoverlying marginal edge portions together when said web is woundhelically.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 for producing filled and sealedtetrahedron-shaped packages wherein said intermittently acting means forforming said pulled-off lengths of said web into a continuous tubeincludes a longitudinally seaming device actuated intermittently intoworking position and which applies heat and pressure to join togetherthe web margins of said pulled-off lengths on said mandrel.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 for producing filled and sealedtetrahedron-shaped packages and which includes means for effectingintermittent operation of said feed pump and hence intermittentdischarge of filling material into said tube.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 for producing filled and sealedtetrahedron-shaped packages and which further includes means carried byone of said clamping jaws and arranged at a distance correspondingsubstantially to a package length above the transverse sealing level toproduce buckling folds respectively in said tube from opposite sidesthereof.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 for producing filled and sealedtetrahedron-shaped packages and which further includes supporting meanslocated intermediate said clamping jaws and said severing means andactuatable to engage opposite sides respectively of the package beingsealed.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 for producing filled and sealedtetrahedron-shaped packages and wherein said supporting means areactuated by said severing means.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 for producing filled and sealedtetrahedron-shaped packages wherein said severing means is constitutedby a pair of shear cutters.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,741,079 Rausing Apr. 10, 1956

1. APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING FILLED AND SEALED TETRAHEDRON-SHAPED PACKAGESWHICH COMPRISES A SUPPLY ROLL OF HEAT-SEALABLE PACKAGING MATERIAL IN WEBFORM, MEANS ACTING INTERMITTENTLY FOR PULLING OFF FROM SAID SUPPLY ROLLA PREDETERMINED WEB LENGTH, A MANDREL, MEANS ACTING INTERMITTENTLY FORFORMING SAID PULLED OFF LENGTHS OF SAID WEB INTO A CONTINUOUS TUBE BYWINDING THE SAME HELICALLY UPON SAID MANDREL AND FOR SIMULTANEOUSLYADVANCING THE SAME LONGITUDINALLY, SAID TUBE BEING ROTATED THROUGH ANANGLE OF SUBSTANTIALLY 90* FOR EACH INTERMITTENT HELICAL WINDINGOPERATION THEREOF, MEANS COOPERATIVE WITH SAID WEB FOR GUIDING THE SAMEALONG A HELICAL PATH WHICH IS FIXED RELATIVE TO THE AXIS OF SAIDMANDREL, A FILLING PIPE HAVING ONE END THEREOF INSERTED THROUGH SAIDMANDREL FOR INTRODUCING FILLING MATERIAL INTO SAID TUBE, A FEED PUMP FORFILLING MATERIAL CONNECTED TO THE OTHER END OF SAID FILLING PIPE, LENGTHSENSING MEANS COOPERATIVE WITH SAID PACKAGING MATERIAL AS IT TRAVELSTHROUGH SAID APPARATUS, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO SAID SENSING MEANS FORCONTROLLING SAID OPERATION OF SAID INTERMITTENTLY ACTING MEANS BY WHICHSAID PULLED OFF WEB LENGTHS ARE FORMED INTO A CONTINUOUS TUBE, A PAIR OFCLAMPING JAWS, MEANS ACTUATING SAID CLAMPING JAWS TO AND FROM EACH OTHERWHEN SAID TUBE IS STATIONARY BETWEEN INTERMITTENT OPERATIONS OF SAIDTUBE FORMING MEANS FOR DEFORMING SAID TUBE WALL INWARDLY AND SEALING THESAME IN PLANES EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THROUGH THE TUBE AXIS, MEANS ALSODISPLACING SAID CLAMPING JAWS IN A DIRECTION AXIALLY OF SAID TUBE BUT INA DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO ITS DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT SIMULTANEOUSLY WITHDEFORMATION OF SAID TUBE THEREBY TO COMPENSATE FOR A REDUCTION IN TUBELENGTH CAUSED BY DEFORMATION THEREOF, AND SEVERING MEANS INTERMITTENTLYACTUATED WHEN SAID TUBE IS STATIONARY FOR CUTTING OFF SAID FILLED ANDSEALED TETRAHEDRONSHAPED PACKAGES AT THE PORTIONS SEALED BY SAIDCLAMPING JAWS.